Did Mike Rossi (viral marathon dad) cheat his way into Boston?

Oh FFS, FFS wrote:

doubt you're a race director wrote:

Don't get me wrong, most of the rest of your post is also bollocks, but I decided to focus on this point. Most people whose times don't line up on the McMillan calculator are aerobically undertrained and perform far worse as the distance gets longer. Mike Rossi says that he ran well over 1000 miles over the course of 18 months. Lets be generous and say that he ran at most 1500 miles, though I suspect it was closer to 1000, given the way that he likes to brag about and exaggerate his workouts. That would put him at 15-22 miles/week.

Maybe if Rossi was training like some ultra competitor, running and walking 150 miles/week at extremely slow paces, one could expect his McMillan equivalency for the marathon to be faster than his shorter races. However, he is running less in an average week than the distance of one single marathon. If anything, you would expect his marathon equivalency to be worse than his shorter races. I believe that somebody calculated his best time run at a shorter distance to be worth a 3:38 marathon, while his best actual marathon time was 3:44? or something close. This would make me believe that his 3:44 was an excellent performance for him and he knew this as well, judging by how he praised it in his blog.

I currently run around 15 miles/week and I could still pull off a 16 minute 5K no problem, off of the fumes of past collegiate training, but I would completely break down if I tried to run a marathon, probably taking walking breaks after 25 or 30 km and finishing in more than 3 hours.

Why do people quit arguing as to whether or not Mike ran 3:11?

We ALL know he didn't. Everyone. There isn't a single person here that believes he did.

That's not the point, so quit arguing it.

The point is whether or not the race committee had enough hard evidence to warrant a BQ. After looking at everything, their lawyers probably told them they didn't have enough to go forward with a DQ without avoiding a lawsuit (which they wouldn't lose, but the resulting bad publicity would cause financial harm).

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

Your Captain wrote:

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

Nice try, Mike.

I'll believe he ran 3:11 when me sh*t turns purple and smells like rainbow sherbet.

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

unicorn blood wrote:

I believe wrote:

I believe he ran 3:11.

Originally I thought no way based on athlinks, then I thought no way based on lack of photo appearances.

But now, the no DQ made me re-examine it and my own suspicions, and what I came up with is that the no DQ is because the possibility of him running it has not been mathematically ruled out, in other words a committee of marathon experienced neutral race officials have decided that it is not impossible that he ran the time.

So, once I remove all the bias, hate and angst floating around I am left with:

a. suspicion

b. he says he ran it

c. photos that almost rule out the possibility that he ran it

d. neutral race officials with marathon experience have ruled that his time stands

I remember thinking Richard Jewell was guilty as all get out. The accusation has merit so far as suspicion but not proof and I now believe he ran it.

I could be wrong, and I guess only God knows what really happened. But just as I believed for the last 2 and 1/2 weeks that he did not run it, now I believe he did.

I respect everyone else who believes he did not run it, good reasons to think that way and I thought that way as well up to an hour ago. But I have now changed my mind.

All wrong. Sorry, you are being ridiculous. You failed to mention that before the marathon Mike Rossi drank unicorn blood - which made him both fast and invisible. This of course is the only credible way that he could have ran a marathon in 3:11 (giving his ability, or lack thereof) and also why he was not been seen by any camera. (Please note: apparently, however, if you poor unicorn blood onto the undeveloped film, his image will appear, if he was there.)

Any theory that he actually ran a 3:11 marathon not based on his drinking unicorn blood is ridiculous, and embarrassing to say out loud. And there are your only two rational choices, he either: (1) cheated; or (2) he drank the blood of a unicorn. People can choose which they want to believe, and I hope people aren't too hasty in rushing to choose one over the other. Take the time to ponder both options.

I believe wrote:

unicorn blood wrote:

All wrong. Sorry, you are being ridiculous. You failed to mention that before the marathon Mike Rossi drank unicorn blood - which made him both fast and invisible. This of course is the only credible way that he could have ran a marathon in 3:11 (giving his ability, or lack thereof) and also why he was not been seen by any camera. (Please note: apparently, however, if you poor unicorn blood onto the undeveloped film, his image will appear, if he was there.)

Any theory that he actually ran a 3:11 marathon not based on his drinking unicorn blood is ridiculous, and embarrassing to say out loud. And there are your only two rational choices, he either: (1) cheated; or (2) he drank the blood of a unicorn. People can choose which they want to believe, and I hope people aren't too hasty in rushing to choose one over the other. Take the time to ponder both options.

I spent 2 and 1/2 weeks pondering cheating and believing in that and then the race officials tell me I was wrong. I have to face the reality that is their decision. I am done pondering, I now believe he ran it in 3:11. It was the race of his life. Sorry to ruin your hate party. Maybe I am just exhausted from all the emotion in the thread. Honestly once I decided to believe he ran it, it was like a burden lifted off my shoulders, I just feel better in general about people, life, and everything. I feel like Darth Vader coming back to the light and good side of the Force and now I can believe in people again.